Review Request: A. G. Russell Fruit Testing Knife

senoBDEC

senoBDEC

Joined
Mar 13, 2005
Messages
2,026
Not sure why, but I keep getting drawn back to this one in the catalogue. I think I'll be purchasing one in the next couple months, but would like some feedback on fit and finish, utility, strength of the backspring, etc.

It looks like a very utilitarian, lightweight design, and is also non-locking I think. I'm hoping it will be a superb choice for backpocket carry.

A.G. Russell.com Fruit Testing Knife
 
I've had my eye on this one for a while too... I'm looking for a folding knife to take with me to work in my lunch box. I'd be using it to cut up apples, pears, oranges, etc. I would like a knife specifically for food prep that I can just wipe off with a napkin. Of course I would wash it off when I got home at the end of the day.

I've also been looking at the S.S. handled Messermeister fruit testing knife. It is quite a bit less expensive, but I don't like its looks as much as A. G. Russell's model, although it does have a mini fork too. (The A.G. Russel model's blade looks more sturdy and more like it was meant for cutting food... fewer funny looks from the NKP at work.)

I would also like to hear from anyone who owns either of these knives.
 
I haven't used the AG Russell fruit knife, so I can't comment on that. But if you want a useful fruit knife for use at work, I am partial to the stainless version of the Opinel #8. Opinels are the best deal in town when you are only considering cutting ability relative to price. With their very thin edge and blade grinds, they go through everything with ease. And since they can be had for under $10, you can get a few of them to leave in the lunchbox, in the car, etc.
 
The stainless Opinel is really nice, the paring knife design is more, something like $17 or $27, don't remember which. I gave my brother in law one for a present and he really likes it. The fruit knives look nice also, but I like a pointer tip for this type of use.
 
Yeah, pretty interested in the Kershaw Shun folding steak knife as well - though I think it's considerably smaller than the A.G. Russell.
 
When I was a young teenager living in the citrus grove country of Central Florida, what we then called "fruit knives" were very commonly carried and used by many of us for a variety of things, even cutting and eating fruit. I could see one being a pretty good lunchbox knife, but I don't think you could call it a general purpose knife. My 85-year-old mother still carries a fruit knife in her purse. It's easy for her to open and close, and she might peel and eat an apple with it once in awhile.

Someone mentioned the stainless #8 Opinel, and I'd like to suggest another Opinel, the #8 "garden knife" with its stainless spear point blade and nicely tapered handle. Opinel also makes a couple of sizes of a stainless fish filleting knife that is very slim and nice, and great looking, too, if you get one with an olive wood handle. I think one of these would be a better choice than a fruit knife.
 
I have both the AG russell and the messermeister fruit tasting. The messermeister is very slim and handy. It is like the Mercury (Italian made) fruit tasting knife except it does not have serration at the tip like the Mercury. The blade is only .9mm from back to edge.

On the AG russell version; I had to send back for a replacement because when the blade was formed, a divot was left about 1 cm from the tip on the left side of the blade. It seems that forming of the blade is not very precise. The replacement blade feels a little wiggly when running your finger on both side of the blade. This blade is about 1.43 cm from back to edge.

I tend to carry the messermeister around more than the AG Russell, due to it's slimness. It also is a great personal steak knife and everybody comments on it when I use it.
 
Oh hey, my old thread. Since then I have gotten the A. G. Russell version in black, 2007 IIRC. It works and opening is fairly smooth, the spring is decently strong. Blade centered and has a nice thin edge with a very small secondary bevel. The only issue is the pivot area tends to scratch very easily and the tip can be very difficult to sharpen on flat stones without blending the bevels.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top